Kelly is unofficially calling the two building designs ModPods. She and Pam were inspired by some similar structures they came across while traveling by motorcycle on Orcas Island, Wash.

“I nearly went off the road on my bike when I saw these tiny houses,” Kelly said.

The two offices are 10×12 (120 square feet), are 15 feet high on the back end and 12 feet high on the front end. The roofs were designed to accommodate solar panels (to be installed soon) and are situated for solar gain through the sliding glass doors in the winter. When the farm staff began to move into the first office, they didn’t have heat, so they covered the existing walls with cob for insulation. On the day I was there it was unseasonably warm outside, but at least 20 degrees cooler in the finished office – even up in the loft. The loft (accessed by a ladder) is large enough to stand up in and will be used for a working and lounging space. Downstairs in the finished office is a small bathroom, a sink, a desk and some storage space. Kelly would like to install a small kitchenette by Avanti in the second office.

The structures were built by the local Boy Scouts and volunteers over a couple of months, but Kelly said the structures are designed to be built in about four days and for around $15,000. HabeRae will build each unit for approximately $27,000. Each of the buildings are on a slab foundation.

In addition to the two offices, the Urban Roots staff also built an experimental greenhouse/storage shed out of old wood pallets covered with cob and a tin roof. A bunny named Dandelion lives in a cage in front of the cob structure. Dandelion will be joined soon by a goat, some bees, a few chickens and a pond full of frogs. Urban Roots receives most of their supplies from donations, Habitat for Humanity, Craigslist and they depend on volunteers affectionately named Worker Bees.

The farm sits behind a former hotel on 4th Street that HabeRae Homes converted into one-bedroom apartments called 14 on 4th.

The pallet/cob interior of the storage shed

Photos by Christina Nellemann

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

Kanga chose the kangaroo to symbolize their company and product because of its strength, agility and the ability for a kangaroo mother’s pouch to be a natural portable home. Because of this, Kanga is also committed to using sustainable materials and energy efficient products whenever possible while still keeping their structures affordable.

Kanga currently offers several options: the Kanga Studio is available in the The Modern and The Country Cottage styles and the Kanga Cabin is a larger structure that can be constructed to accommodate a bathroom, kitchenette, a separate bedroom and a loft.

The Modern design offers clean lines, a progressive style and can be constructed to sizes large enough to accommodate a bathroom and a kitchenette. The Modern comes in eight sizes: the 8′x10′ for around $7,150, the 10′x12′ for around $7,900, the 12′x14′ for around $9,200, the 12′x16′ and the 14′x14′ for around $9,860, the 14′x16′ for around $10,670, the 14′x20′ for around $11,999 and the 14′x24′ for around $13,400.

The Country Cottage has an open, airy feel in a classic design. The base model includes a skid foundation, floor system, 8″ lap siding, one door and two 24×48 front windows. The base models start at $9,950 for the 10′x12′ and go to $15,550 for the 14′x24′ model.

All kits include the following:

• 4″x 6″ treated skids cut to length for foundation system
• 4′x 8′ wall panels sheathed with 7/16″ OSB w/ radiant barrier
• 2×6 floor system sheathed with plywood decking
• Roof system panels with R19 insulation and 8″ pine tongue & groove applied
• Roof decking with 7/16 OSB w/ radiant barrier
• EPDM roof membrane
• 6″ galvanized facia flashing
• 12″ Hardie fiber cement open joint siding with EPDM moisture barrier
• Cedar accent siding
• 36″ Metal door with full lite glass
• Door knob with lock and key set
• One 18″x36″ window (fixed glass with wood frame)
• Transom windows with structural steel window frame
• Laminated roof support beam cut to length

Upgrades and extras include updated doors and windows, pine beadboard paneling, pine, oak, bamboo or cork flooring, paint, upgraded lighting, a front or side deck, wiring packages, a metal roof, and installed bathrooms and kitchenettes on models 12′x14′ or larger.

The kits come delivered with instructions and can be assembled with basic tools such as a shovel, level, hammer, circular saw and power drill. A pneumatic finishing nailer and framing gun make for a quicker and easier install. Shipping costs will depend on the location of the building site.

Photos courtesy of Kanga Room Systems

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

The one-bedroom, one-bath home comes with all of the closets, cabinets, countertops and flooring installed. Both the kitchen and the bathroom contain IKEA appliances which includes an induction cooktop and convection oven, a counter depth refrigerator and dishwasher, a two sink vanity and a front load washer and dryer. Buyers can select their own wall and floor colors and, of course, they can fill it with IKEA furniture.

The aktiv is just over 53 feet long and about 14 feet wide with sliding glass doors. It’s priced at $86,500 which does not include delivery or utility hookups.

Photos courtesy of IKEA and ideabox

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

For a long time now I have been interested in almost everything related to residential design and construction. If you looked at the bookmarks in my Internet browser you would find that category to have the most pointers by far. While most of my career has been in the semiconductor industry I have spent a fair amount of my spare time and occasionally my full time designing or building things.

More recently I have become increasingly interested in looking for ways to help ease homelessness both in this country and potentially abroad. Partly with that end in mind I have been thinking about how to build very simple structures that could be used for housing. I am also very interested in prefabrication techniques so I was naturally drawn to the idea of simple prefabricated structures.

My new eBook titled “TenYurt – A Simple DIY Prefab Shelter” details one such structure. A TenYurt is a simple 10-sided yurt like building that encloses about 118 square feet of floor space and is about 12 feet from side to side. In its prefabricated but unassembled for easy transportation in a pickup truck. I have included lots of drawings, accurate dimensions and complete how to build details. You can build a very simple basic structure or you can enhance it in most any way your needs and budget suggest.

For more information about my eBook and for information about how to order you own copy visit diy-prefab.com.

This is an upgraded version of the Chapman Ridge that was shown on the Tiny House Blog previously. It is located in Little Deer Isle, Maine. As requested by the customer, this one has 14 windows and an added room in the back to be used as a bathroom. It also has a steel bracket that all the structural hip elements are bolted to and a windowed cupola. The steel bracket creates a round void in the peak of the roof/ceiling that allows light and ventilation to access the room through the cupola.

The building is beautifully trimmed with white and red cedar and left natural. It uses minimal glue and no plywood or engineered lumber as to not release off gases. All the wood is harvested sustainably in or around Athens Maine by a friend or myself, the builder. It is mostly wood and nails except for the windows which are Anderson’s and the roof which is three-tab asphalt. The floor is wide pine, fastened using old fashioned cut nails and finished with boiled linseed oil. The board siding and roof sheathing leaves a nice feel to the inside while being inexpensive. The customer plans to use it as a guest house during the spring, summer, and fall. Eventually they plan on insulating it and drywalling the inside. The hip-roof design allows there to be a big open room with no interior walls and a high ceiling.

The customer will divide it up into four sections. A sleeping area, kitchen area, sitting area, and dining area as well as the room in the back to serve as a bathroom.

The building is 24′ x 24′ with a 7′x11′ bump out. The total square footage is about 670 square feet. It is built using only sustainable methods and genuinely sustainable building materials. It cost the customer $27,000. Visit Hilmer Building and Design for more information.

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The company also offers a pad foundation, Thermowood® siding, cedar roof shingles or insulated metal roofs, French doors, skylights, exterior lighting and decking. Interior options include laminate flooring, electrical and lighting, heating units and blinds.

The Stable Company also offers its customers the use of its in-house, planning permission and building regulations services as well as deposit protection and an insurance backed guarantee.

Photos courtesy of the Stable Company

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

Mariah and Ryan Lingard fell in love with the woods and lakes of Joseph, Oregon and purchased some partially burned, partially logged land after seeing an ad in the local paper. The 100×150 foot parcel of land cost them $47,000 and is located smack dab in the middle of hiking, skiing and snowshoe territory. The couple has a full-time home in Portland, but they make the 6-hour trip to the Signal Shed about four times a year.

After two years of planning and extended weekend camping trips to their land, the couple built the 130 square foot cabin over a two week period with friends and family. The materials cost about $10,000 and the cabin features several recycled windows, IKEA cabinets and laminate flooring. They found the barn door hardware and the woodstove on Craigslist. The cabin rests on a floating pier to minimize impact on the land and cedar screens used to lock it up when Mariah and Ryan are not around. The Signal Shed has no running water, no electricity and the couple uses the woodstove for heat and some cooking.

Mariah grew up in an off-grid home in rural Oregon and is not bothered by the lack of running water or the portable toilet. The couple heat up water on the stove or in a solar water heater, and read at night by candlelight or oil lamp.

The structure was awarded a 2011 Residential Architect Magazine design award. As an architect, Ryan is now offering the Signal Shed plans for sale in limited quantities. It is being sold for $18,000 for a prefab modular structure and detailed plans are being sold for $1,000.

Photos courtesy of Sunset and Ryan Lingard

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

Hybrid coined the term cargotecture to describe any structure built partially or entirely from recycled cargo containers. The c-series consists of five models ranging in price from $29,500 to $189,500. The home featured at the Sunset show was the c192 nomad which costs $59,500.

The prices of the c-series include:

• Recycled ISO cargo container with new paint
• Soy based spray foam insulation
• Aluminum clad wood windows and doors (one 10 feet long opening and one side door)
• Bamboo finish floor
• 5/8 inch drywall ceiling and walls
• Panelized wet room bath with redwood decking.
• Duravit bath fixtures
• IKEA cabinets and kitchen fixtures and lighting
• Summit appliances
• 30 gallon electric water heater (gas if available on site)
• Convectair Apero heat
• Factory plans, State L&I permits and inspections

Green and off-grid options are offered including solar panels, composting toilets and “green machine” sewage treatment and roofwater harvesting.

All the models are insulated about 15 percent above IBC and UBC building codes in the floors, walls and roofs. The building can be placed in cold climates as well as moderate to hot climates. The recycled plastic and soy sprayed-in insulation creates R24 walls, R44 ceilings, and R32 floors. The roofs can handle 60psf snow loads.

The HyBrid homes are shipped complete. A local contractor will need to be arranged for electrical and sewage hook-ups as well as foundation work. In many jurisdictions, if your project is less than 200sf there is no permitting process required. HyBrid has completed residential and commercial cargotecture projects in California, Oregon and Washington and has designed over 20 projects on 5 continents. They will ship their cargotecture homes worldwide.

Photos courtesy of Hybrid Architecture

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

The company builds what they call “flex rooms” that can be used for offices, studios, workshop, retreats, rental properties, and cottages and tiny homes for a simplified lifestyle. Their designs can also be adapted to be ADA compliant to house disabled persons. The designs are energy efficient and specific to Texas climates.

Their 12 foot by 16 foot model costs $13,750 including sales tax. BuildZing can build directly on-site and will consult with you on foundations and utility and sewer attachments, or the building can be delivered ready to move in.

Photos courtesy of BuildZing

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

This series of homes meets all of the fundamental criteria in a house. The space is sized to be functional while also allowing flexibility. The uses for these homes include high density small lot urban and suburban infill, relief housing, student housing, auxiliary dwelling units, and specifically, affordable housing.

The Shelter Series homes range in size from 340 square feet to around 1,400 square feet and are also designed to meet a variety of green certification programs with the real emphasis being on energy and water savings along with a superior exterior shell.

Available now is the Shelter 640. This small home features 2 bedrooms, a full bath, generous kitchen, and ample storage/closet space. The interior is filled with light from the standard and clerestory windows. The lot for this design may be as small as 30 feet by 60 feet, and the 640 can be built on a concrete foundation or a raised floor system. The Shelter 640 is priced at $47,300.

Also included in the Shelter 640:

• Prefabricated, insulated wall sections
• Insulated windows
• Metal SIP panel roof
• R-17 wall insulation and R-22 roof insulation
• Bamboo flooring
• IKEA brand cabinets and sinks
• Maple countertops
• Water conserving toilet
• On-demand, tank-less hot water heater

The Cabin Fever building packages contain everything that’s needed to build a modern cabin: pre-assembled wall panels, doors and windows, the roof system, siding, trim and the interior parts. Everything is precision cut and precisely labeled. Their prefab cabins and cottages can be assembled by an owner with building experience or by a professional contractor.

Photos courtesy of Cabin Fever

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]